The film will release overseas not just in Europe and the US, but also the Middle East, Australia and South America

Shahrukh Khan’s Bollywood starrer Chennai Express will open day and date in a number of markets, and not just the usual suspects with a large South Asian diaspora. Disney UTV will release the film on August 9 in India, the UK, US, Australia and the Middle East, all big markets for Hindi films, as well as Peru, Morocco, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France and Israel.

Chennai Express is expected to attract huge holiday audiences in India and the Middle East, where the Muslim holiday of Eid ul Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. But Indian audiences can expect to pay more for tickets. In a model similar to the one predicted by George Lucas for Stateside theaters, Indian multiplexes are raising ticket prices for the film by up to 40 percent, confident that King Khan fans will turn out. In suburban Mumbai, tickets are expected to sell for Rs 500 (US$8.17) each. Single screen theatres, however, are not planning on raising prices.

Bollywood exhibitors are hoping that Chennai Express, co-starring Deepika Padukone, will help bring Hindi cinema out of the doldrums this year. Several expected hits failed to spark at the box office, including D-Day, “Ramaiya Vastavaiya” and “Raanjhanaa.” There have also been hits such as Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.

There has been an avalanche of publicity for the Rohit Shetty-directed film in the past few weeks.